Launceston Priory

Launceston ( LAHN-stən, LAWN-, locally LA(H)N-sən; rarely spelled Lanson as a local abbreviation; Cornish: Lannstevan) is a town, ancient borough, and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the middle stage of the River Tamar, which constitutes almost the entire border between Cornwall and Devon. The landscape of the town is generally steep particularly at a sharp south-western knoll topped by Launceston Castle. These gradients fall down to the River Kensey and smaller tributaries. The town centre itself is bypassed and is no longer physically a main thoroughfare. The A388 still runs through the town close to the centre. The town remains figuratively the "gateway to Cornwall", due to having the A30, one of the two dual carriageways into the county, pass directly next to the town. The other dual carriageway and alternative main point of entry is the A38 at Saltash over the Tamar Bridge and was completed in 1962. There are smaller points of entry to Cornwall on minor roads. Launceston Steam Railway narrow-gauge heritage railway runs as a tourist attraction during the summer months. It was restored for aesthetic and industrial heritage purposes and runs along a short rural route, it is popular with visitors but does not run for much of the year. Launceston Castle was built by Robert, Count of Mortain (half-brother of William the Conqueror), c. 1070 to control the surrounding area. Launceston was the caput of the feudal barony of Launceston and of the Earldom of Cornwall until replaced by Lostwithiel in the 13th century. Launceston was later the county town of Cornwall until 1835 when Bodmin replaced it. Two civil parishes serve the town and its outskirts, of which the central more built-up administrative unit housed 8,952 residents at the 2011 census.Three electoral wards include reference to the town, their total population, from 2011 census data, being 11,837 and two ecclesiastical parishes serve the former single parish, with three churches and a large swathe of land to the north and west part of the area. Launceston's motto "Royale et Loyale" (English translation: Royal and Loyal) is a reference to its adherence to the Cavalier cause during the English Civil War of the mid-17th century.

St Mary Magdalene's Church, Launceston is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England in Launceston, Cornwall. It is unusual for its carvings; the entire exterior of the original part of the church is built of carved granite blocks. The church is dedicated to Jesus' companion, Mary Magdalene.

Launceston Guildhall and Town Hall is a municipal building in Western Road in Launceston, Cornwall, England. The building, which was the meeting place of Launceston Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.

Eagle House Hotel is a Grade II* listed building located in Castle Street, Launceston, Cornwall. Formerly a townhouse, it is now a hotel and is built in the Georgian style in red brick.Charles Causley, Launceston's most renowned poet, wrote about the statues outside the property.The building dates back to 1764, having been commissioned as a townhouse by Coryndon Carpenter, a former mayor of Launceston and the constable of Launceston Castle. Reputedly the house was partly financed by a £10,000 lottery win. In 1963 the building was converted into a hotel, also equipped with a restaurant area. By 2015 the building had fallen into disrepair and was considered for conversion back into a private house. It was eventually bought by the current owners, who renovated the property as a hotel with restaurant. It reopened in spring 2017.

Lawrence House is a Georgian townhouse in Launceston, Cornwall. Built in 1753, the house is a National Trust property and a Grade II* listed building. It is leased to Launceston Town Council and used as a local museum.

Launceston College is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Launceston, Cornwall, England.

Launceston railway station (Cornish: Lannstevan) was situated in Launceston, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It was served by both the Great Western Railway (GWR) and London and South Western Railway (LSWR). There were actually two stations adjacent to each other, the northern station serving the line to Plymouth, which was built by the Launceston and South Devon Railway (later GWR), and the southern station being on the North Cornwall Railway (for the LSWR) which was operated by the London and South Western Railway. The two stations unusually shared a "back to back" signal box from 1916, despite being operated by different railway companies. A connection between the two railways was provided in 1943. The GWR station closed to passengers in 1952, all trains then using the LSWR station. The Launceston Steam Railway now operates nearby.

The Launceston Steam Railway is a 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) narrow gauge railway, in Cornwall, England. The railway operates from the town of Launceston to Newmills, where there is a farm park; it is 2+1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) long. The railway is built on the trackbed of the former standard gauge North Cornwall Railway.

Newport (Cornish: Porthnowyth) is a suburb of the town of Launceston in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Originally a separate settlement, Newport is immediately north of the town from which it is separated by the River Kensey.Until the early nineteenth century, the Newport constituency elected two Members to the Unreformed House of Commons. However, the constituency was abolished as a rotten borough by the Reform Act 1832. A tucking mill was established in the 15th century by the Flemings at Newport. This was water-powered and continued in use for corn until 1968.

Newport Roundhouse, formerly known as Newport Town Hall, is a Grade II listed building located in Newport, Launceston, Cornwall. It is owned and maintained by Launceston Town Council. The Roundhouse was built in 1829 by the Duke of Northumberland to house the remains of the Market Cross, which was a granite monolith cross of unknown design. Only the stump of the cross remains today. Election results for Newport's Parliamentary Seats were announced at this site, Newport, Cornwall was a rotten borough prior to 1832. The building was restored and had seats added by the town council in 1923. These seats were removed in 2005, when the building was restored again.

Dutson is a hamlet northeast of Launceston in Cornwall, England, and on the A388 main road. It is in the civil parish of St Stephens by Launceston Rural

St Stephens by Launceston Rural is a civil parish in the east of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is in the Registration district of Launceston. The population of the parish in the 2001 census was 312, increasing to 360 and including Dutson at the 2011 census. The former parish of St Stephens by Launceston was abolished in 1894: St Stephens by Launceston Urban became part of the town of Launceston, while St Stephens by Launceston Rural became part of Launceston Rural District.The parish lies immediately north west of the town of Launceston and is bounded to the south by the parishes of Launceston, St Thomas the Apostle Rural, and Lawhitton. To the east it is bounded by the River Tamar (the border between Cornwall and Devon). To the north and north-west it is bordered by the parishes of Werrington, North Petherwin and Egloskerry.